Lightened Up Baked Potato Soup

Scrub potatoes under running water and pat dry. Poke several holes in the potatoes with a fork to vent steam. If you are using the microwave to bake the potatoes, use the “potato” button on your microwave (one large potato takes about 7-8 minutes to cook in the microwave). If doing all potatoes at once, increase the cooking time to 13-15 minutes and be sure to test for doneness. Potatoes can also be baked in a 400ºF oven for about 1 hour, if preferred. Remove the potatoes and set aside to let them cool.

Sauté onion, celery and garlic in 1 tablespoon of the butter until soft. Set aside. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off with a knife. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a large Dutch oven and add the flour to create a roux. Let flour cook for about 30 seconds, then gradually add the milk and broth while constantly stirring with a whisk. Cook over medium heat stirring occasionally until thick and bubbly, about 8 minutes.

Add potatoes, cheese, salt, and pepper to the milk mixture, stirring until the cheese melts. Add the sautéed onion, garlic and celery. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and half the bacon bits. Return to low heat and continue cooking for about 10 minutes or until heated through.

Garnish each serving with more cheese, sour cream, and remaining bacon.